Thursday, February 14, 2008

The jurors in the Bobby Cutts murder trial deliberated until 9:50 pm ET without reaching a verdict. CNN's In Session corespondent on the scene, Beth Karas, was kind enough to give me this brief update via email:

The jury went to the hotel to "freshen up" from 4:30-6:00. They intended to return at 6 and deliberate while eating dinner. Dinner was ordered but when jurors returned to the courthouse, they decided to eat downstairs (and not deliberate). They resumed deliberations at 7:00 pm. At 9:30 pm, we were told they were still hard at work. No notes.

I have to say that I am impressed with this jury and the Ohio court in Stark County for letting this jury deliberate late into the evening. I'm actually quite surprised by this, but maybe that's because we do things differently here in Cali. I was in the courtroom for a day or two of deliberations in the Spector trial. Those jurors couldn't wait to get out of that jury room when 4:00 pm came around!

In California courthouses ~ at least in Los Angeles County ~ building security is managed by the Los Angeles Sheriff's Department. For a jury to be able to deliberate past 4:00 pm, the County would have to compensate quite a few sheriffs via overtime pay to maintain security for the building. I just can't see that happening, at least, not at the downtown courthouse. Maybe in some of the other outlying courthouses, but no way in downtown LA.

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